Cleyon Yowell was 93 years of age when he died on November 6, 2024. He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Della and Virgil Yowell.
Cleyon graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1949 and from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with an electrical engineering degree in 1953. Cleyon married Laura Valdois of Haven at Trinity United Methodist Church in Hutchinson in 1951. After graduation from M.I. T., Cleyon returned to Kansas and worked at Boeing in Wichita until he was drafted. After serving in the army two years at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, he moved to Southern California to obtain his Master’s and Doctorate degrees from the University of Southern California. He also worked at Hughes Aircraft in Culver City and in Fullerton, California. In 1966 he joined Aerospace Engineering in El Segundo and worked there until his retirement in 1987.
An avid ham radio operator, Cleyon made radio contacts with people in all of the countries in the world except North Korea. He belonged to the following radio clubs: Hughes Aircraft Club, J.P.L. Club, California DX Club, Fullerton Radio Club, and Reno County Kansas Amateur Radio Association. He was also a member of the following professional electrical engineering associations: IEEE and Association of Electronic Warfare.
Cleyon was an enthusiastic traveler starting with a 1,500-mile motor cycle adventure at age 16 with just his 16-year-old cousin. In 1963 Cleyon and Laura went around the world in 80 days on a truly remarkable trip.
Cleyon returned to Kansas in 1987 and moved to Hutchinson in 1988 and joined Trinity United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Della and Virgil Yowell, his sister Marlene Martin and his grandparents Carl and Elva Nelson.
He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Laura Yowell of Hutchinson, his son Robert Yowell (Christie) and granddaughter Addie of San Antonio, TX, and daughter Julie Stade (Mark) and grandchildren Caitlin, Erin and Brendan (Lauren) and great granddaughter Lily of Haven.
Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1602 N. Main, Hutchinson, with military honors conducted by the Fort Riley Honor Guard. Burial will follow in Laurel Cemetery, rural Haven. Friends may sign his book from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at Elliott Mortuary. The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until service time Wednesday at the church.
Memorials are suggested to Trinity United Methodist, HCC Endowment Association, or Hospice and HomeCare of Reno County, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.